William a



Dec. 17, 1929. l. L. WESSEL 1,740,383

GRAPPLE FOR HANDLING HOT CASTINGS Filed June 15. 1928 INVENTOR I L.wewel BY m-(o ATTORNEY UNITE STATES PATEl ISAAC L. WESSEL, OF MUSKEGON,MICHIGAN; WILLIAM A. .VESSEL ADMINISTRATOR 0F SAID ISAAC L. WESSEL,DECEASED GRAPPLE FOR HANDLING HOT CASTINGS Application filed June 13,

This invention relates to grapples of the crossed lever type commonlyused from a hoist carried by roller and track to lift and transportheavy castings such as cylinder blocks.

The use of the crossed lever type of grapple for lifting hot cylinderblocks from their molds, for example, requires, ordinarily, two men, oneat each side of the line of molds, who hold and drop the ends of thegrapple over each side of the hot casting. This brings the hands inclose proximity with the blocks and despite the use of heavy gloves,frequently causes bad burns.

it is the object of my invention to provide a construction of grappleoperable by one man to engage the block and so constructed hat the handsof the operative do not need to be brought close to the block.

It is a further object to provide this improved construction in astructural form enabling it to be embodied in the standard form ofgrapple in common use either as a readily applied attachment forgrapples already in use or as a component part of the grapple asoriginally manufactured.

The invention consists in the combinations, constructions andarrangements herein after claimed and is fully described in thefollowing detailed specification which is to be read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings forming part thereof and in which- Figure 1 isa perspective detail view of a grapple constructed in accordance withthe present invention, the grapple operating arms being shown as droppedfrom transversely extended operating position;

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of the crossed angled operatingarms, detached;

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Figure 1, showing theeye-bolt connection between the main grapple and the angled operatingarms.

The main grapple is of well known construction comprising the crossedlevers 1 and 2 pivoted intermediate of their ends at 3 and having theirlower ends provided with the usual confronting grappling teeth 4. Theupper ends of the crossed levers 1 and 2, are connected by the usuallinks 5, and ring 6 1928. Serial No. 285,189.

from which the usual chain (not shown) extends upwardly to the travelinghoist commonly used in foundry work. As ordinarily used in foundries,the lower ends of the levers 1 and 2 are held by two men at oppositesides of the line of molds and are dropped by them over the side of thehot cylinder block or other casting to be lifted and carried away by thetraveling hoist.

Cooperating with and loosely attached to the levers 1 and 2 below theirpoint 3 of pivotal connection are a pair of jaw-expanding angled. arms 7and 8, the lower arms 9 of which terminate in laterally extending handleloops 10. Their upper arms 11 are overlapped above the apices of theirangles d pivotally tonnected at 12, and have their upper ends formedwith eyes 13 loosely linked, as by cutting, bending and subsequentwelding, with the eyes of eye bolts 14 whose threaded shanks 15 areextended through holes of appropriate size drilled through the grapplelevers 1 and 2 below their pivot point 3, and are locked thereon by nuts16, preferably cottered thereon.

By using angled arms 7 and 8 crossed in reversely angled relation 1 amenabled to open or expand the lower ends or gripping jaws of the grappleby bringing the handled ends 10 of the pivoted angled arms together.Therefore, one operator grasping with one hand the abutting handled ends10-1O with the angled arms 7 and 8 lifted and extended transversely awayfrom the main grapple, may manipulate the hoist with his other hand tolower the grapple, positioning the latter (with its jaws held expandedby the angled levers) over the hot casting with the first mentioned handand holding it so positioned while the hoist is reversely operated topull up on the expanded jaws 1 and 2 to draw them together and grip thecasting therebet-ween, the angled arms 7 and 8 being now released,leaving both hands free to operate the hoist, if necessary.

The described construction, therefore, per mits one operator to performwith safety the entire operation of lowering, positioning, closing andliftin the grapple. The particu lar construction .lisclosed whilerepresenting a preferred form of the invention is intended asillustrative thereof and not restrictive.

I claim I 1. A grapple comprising, pivotally connected levers providinggripping jaws at their lower ends, and a pair of pivotallyinter-connected jaw-expanding arms linked at their inner ends to therespective levers of the grapple to extend laterally outward therefromand having handled. outer ends brought into abutting relation bymovement of said arms to expand the gripping jaws of the grapple.

'2. A grapple comprising crossed pivotally connected levers providinggripping aws at their lower ends and having hoist connecting linkageattheir upper ends for closing said jaws and for raising and loweringthe grapple, and a pair of pivotally inter-connected jaw-expanding andpositioning arms linlter. at their inner ends to the respective grapplelevers to extend laterally outward therefrom and having handled outerends, said arms being cross connected to the grapple levers to expandthe grapple jaws by closing movement of their handled ends bring saidends together.

3. A grapple comprising crossed pivotally connected levers providinggripping jaws at their lower ends and having hoist connecting linkage attheir upper ends for closing said jaws and for raising and lowering thegrapple, and a pair of crossed pivotally connected jaw expanding anglearms loosely linked to the respective levers at their inner ends toextend laterally outward therefrom and having handled outer ends broughttogether by jaw-expanding movement of said arms.

l grapple comprising pivotally connecred levers providing gripping awsat their lower ends and having hoist connect ing linkage at their upperends for closing said jaws and for raising and lowering the grapple, anda pair ot' angled arms crossed in reversely angled relation beyond theapices of their angles and pivotally interconnected at their point ofoverlap, with their inner ends loosely linked to the respective leversof the grapple below their pivotal connection to extend laterallyoutward therefrom and having handled outer ends brought together byjawexpanding movement of said arms "for grasping by one hand of theopera-tor.

5. As an article of manufacture, a jaw expanding attachment for crossedlever type grapples comprising angled arms overlapped and pivotallyconnected in reversely angled relation beyond the apices of their anglesand provided with handled outer ends and loosely linked at their innerends to grapple engaging members.

ISAAC L. VVESSEL.

